On the Road with Walt & Barb

10/28/2017

While we haven't really liked our campground there is no denying the beauty of the surrounding country. Buck's County is famous for it's scenery.

The area is home to historic stone homes.

It is dotted with farms, both old and new.

Many of the farm houses are built of rock.

There is rock and brick work everywhere.

Rock barns are frequent too.

There is a lot of colonial history here.

The destination I had in mind was the Washington Crossing Historic Park.

The statue of General George Washington marks the spot where in December 1776 General George Washington and his ragged army crossed the Delaware River to embark on yet another battle in the American Revolutionary War.

The army had been experiencing only defeat and despair. The War for Independence was going badly, with failure following failure.

The soldiers were dealing with a lack of both food and warm clothing and Washington was watching his army shrink due to desertions and expiring enlistments. Now, more than ever, a victory was desperately needed.

General Washington plotted a daring plan to cross the Delaware River under the cover of darkness, march to Trenton, New Jersey and attack the Hessian ( Hessians were the 18th century German auxiliaries contracted for military service by the British government. Another history lesson for me.) outposts in and around Trenton.

Washington assembled his troops near McConkey’s Ferry in preparation for the crossing. By 6 pm, 2,400 troops had begun crossing the ice-choked river. The operation was slow and difficult due to the condition of the river. There was an abrupt change in the weather forcing the men to fight their way through sleet and a blinding snowstorm. Against the odds, Washington and his men successfully completed the crossing and marched into Trenton on the morning of December 26, achieving a resounding victory over the Hessians. Only three Americans were killed and six wounded, while 22 Hessians were killed with 98 wounded. This victory had a marked effect on the troops' morale. Soldiers celebrated the victory, Washington's role as a leader was secured, and Congress gained renewed enthusiasm for the war.

This is McConkey's Ferry Inn. General George Washington and his aides ate dinner and made plans here prior to the crossing.

At that time this was the only building at the site. We were curious what the round structure was and found out it was their ice house.

Since then a village has grown up called Washington Crossing, PA. One thing about Washington Crossing that is special to the town is that every Christmas Day the town performs a re-enactment of Washington Crossing the Delaware River.

On this beautiful fall day it was hard to feel what it must have been like on that snowy, cold December day. Again how fortunate we are to learn more about the history of this great country.

10/27/2017

The Liberty Bell bears a timeless message: "Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof."

The bell rang in the tower of the Pennsylvania State House. Today, we call that building Independence Hall. Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly Isaac Norris first ordered a bell for the bell tower in 1751 from the Whitechapel Foundry in London. That bell cracked on the first test ring. Local metalworkers John Pass and John Stow melted down that bell and cast a new one there in Philadelphia. It's this bell that would ring to call lawmakers to their meetings and the townspeople together to hear the reading of the news. Benjamin Franklin wrote to Catherine Ray in 1755, "Adieu, the Bell rings, and I must go among the Grave ones and talk Politicks." No one recorded when or why the Liberty Bell first cracked, but the most likely explanation is that a narrow split developed in the early 1840's after nearly 90 years of hard use. In 1846, when the city decided to repair the bell prior to George Washington's birthday holiday metal workers widened the thin crack to prevent its farther spread and restore the tone of the bell using a technique called "stop drilling". The wide "crack" in the Liberty Bell is actually the repair job! But, the repair was not successful. The Public Ledger newspaper reported that the repair failed when another fissure developed. This second crack, running from the abbreviation for "Philadelphia" up through the word "Liberty", silenced the bell forever. But, after all this there is no evidence to show that the bell rang on July 4, 1776.

Our visit to Independence Hall was very humbling to me. I couldn't stop thinking that I was in the very same place that the founders of the United States met and discussed and wrote both The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The building was completed in 1753 as the colonial legislature (later Pennsylvania State House) for the Province of Pennsylvania and was used in that capacity until the state capital moved to Lancaster in 1799. It became the principal meeting place of the Second Continental Congress from 1775 to 1783 and was the site of the Constitutional Convention in the summer of 1787.

When it was originally designed and built, Independence Hall had no tower or steeple. These were added around 1750. The wooden steeple had rotted by 1773 and was removed in 1781. In 1828, the city hired architect William Strickland to restore the original steeple. Strickland deviated from the original design, incorporating a clock and additional ornamentation.

Tickets are needed to go inside the building. They are free and you are given a time for your tour. Our tour guide was absolutely wonderful and really kept things interesting. And I will always remember his really bad toupee.

I loved how beautiful it was as we entered.

The building is Georgian Architecture and every attempt has been made to restore it to it's original glory.

This was where the Pennsylvania Supreme Court met during the 1700s (The US Supreme Court met in another room in the complex).

This is the US Supreme Court. We had popped in their briefly before our tour started.

This is the Assembly Room.

It was here that the Declaration of Independence was debated and ratified in the summer of 1776. It was hot that summer and fearing that spies would be trying to see what was going on the windows were closed. And remember what those gentlemen wore in those days.

The room has been set up as it would have been during that fateful summer.

Only one chair is the original. George Washington used this chair for nearly three months of the Federal Convention's continuous sessions. James Madison reported Benjamin Franklin saying, "I have often looked at that behind the president without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting. But now I... know that it is a rising...sun."

I just couldn't believe that I was in the room where it all began. It didn't come easy. They argued, some actually fought, they debated but in the end.........compromise and it was the beginning of the United States of America. I still can't believe I am in same room where George Washington, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, and many others worked so hard to make this a reality.

From the Assembly Hall we went up the well worn stairs to the second floor.

The U.S. Senate met in this room on the second floor of Congress Hall. It has been beautifully restored.

Much of the furniture in this room is original.

As I recall the guide said the rug was a recreation of the original. It has the seals of the original 13 colonies locked together.

The House of Representatives met on the first floor. It is rather simple and features mahogany desks and leather chairs. The glare was bad in the room so I never did get a decent photo.

Larger-than-life portraits of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI were gifts from France who backed the United States in the Revolutionary War.

They were given to the U.S. in 1785 a few years before the King and Queen were guillotined in 1793.

I got a powerful feeling here. I seemed to be overcome by thoughts of the men who designed our country and the very documents which still guide us to this day. If only we will follow.

10/24/2017

Philadelphia City Hall is the largest city building in the United States.

It is a grand work of architecture. It was completed in 1901. William Penn actually laid out the building's spot 200 years before it was built.

It stands 548 feet tall and has 14.5 acres of floor space.

There are more than 700 rooms in the building.

It took 30 years to build at a cost of nearly $25 million. It is constructed of brick, granite and marble. There is no steel or iron framing. The walls at the first floor are up to 22ft thick to support all the weight from the floors above.

The building was designed by Scottish-born architect John McArthur, Jr., in the Second Empire style.

Alexander Milne Calder sculpted the William Penn statue on top. He and his son also sculpted more than 250 figures on and in the building.

Rooms are organized around a central courtyard, which can be reached via the large archways on each of the four sides.

Marble columns and more of the sculptures branch off the large archways leading to the courtyard.

There are sculptures of people and animals of the world, educators, artists and engineers out of stone that the sculptor said were created “to express American ideals and develop American genius.” Hmmm...babies holding up the building watched over by an elephant.

The interior courtyard feels like a French Palace. The large turrets emphasize this to me.

The central courtyard has nice landscaping and would be a great place to sit and enjoy but it is very busy. City business is ongoing as well as tourists visiting.

City Hall is topped by a 37-foot-high bronze statue of William Penn, the founder of Philadelphia.

Views outside the archways lead right into the city. We spent some time walking down those busy, narrow streets.

This elegant 1865 building is home to the Union League of Philadelphia. The Union League of Philadelphia, founded in 1862 as a Patriotic Society to support the policies of Abraham Lincoln, is today a private members-only club.

We found that Philadelphia does not seem like your normal touristy city. No T-Shirt gift shops, souvenir shops, or restaurant after restaurant. It took many blocks of walking to find a real Philly Cheesesteak. But, when we did they were darn tasty.

A passing glimpse of Philadelphia's massive Museum of Art brought this day in Philadelphia to a close.

10/23/2017

We enjoyed our stay at Black Bear Campground in Florida, NY. Florida is in a farming area known for the vast onion fields in its black dirt area.

Florida NY was the home of William H. Seward. You remember him......the man who served as Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln. William H. Seward agreed to purchase Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. ... At the time, critics thought Seward was crazy and called the deal "Seward's folly." There are some today who contend that the financial return from the purchase has still not been a success but speaking as someone who has seen a bit of that beautiful state I am glad it is part of the U.S. This is the house he was raised in and they are in the process of restoring it.

Florida was settled by many Polish immigrants and a large portion of the population (2,900) today is Polish. This Polish Restaurant is owned by a beautiful young Polish woman named Barbara. The food is delicious and reminded me of food my Mother made since she was Czechoslovakian and it is similar. We had stuffed cabbage, peirogi, pan fried sauerkraut, kielbasa, and for dessert Sernik which is their version of cheesecake. The cheesecake is made with fresh cheese and is creamier than the version we are used to. DEEElicious. We met several interesting people. Some local and others that travel for miles to partake of the unique food. One that stood out was an older than us gentleman that when he found out we were from Arizona told us that his father was one of the original Buffalo Soldiers stationed at Fort Huachuca. “Buffalo Soldier” is the collective nickname given to the first African-American members of the U.S. Armed Forces. A memorable lunch.

I am so impressed by how old buildings are restored, configured to new uses, and live on in the east. The use of local materials were the original "green buildings."

Leaving New York headed to Pennsylvania again took us on winding, rural back roads.

Uh oh! That winding back road has a bridge with a weight limit and we are are over the limit. I have been worried about height limits on underpasses and we did have one issue with that but never thought about bridge weight limits. The guard on the gate said we weren't the only ones this happened to. He stopped traffic for Walt to turn around and directed us to the toll road that would get us on our way. He said the toll would be $28 but when we pulled up to the booth the lady charged us $3 and wished us a good day.

You can't win 'em all. Our 5 day stay in Quakerwoods Campground in Quakertown, PA wasn't the prettiest or the most comfortable but it was close to Philadelphia and in Bucks County so that is what counted.

There were pretty woods around showing off their fall colors.

Headed into Philadelphia the first day we were surprised to find such a scenic route.

It seems that going the back roads it is really rural until all of a sudden you are in the city.

Philadelphia is the 6th largest city in the U.S. and was founded in 1682. 1682.........that is a long time ago. William Penn, an English Quaker, founded the city to serve as capital of the Pennsylvania Colony. Narrow streets accommodated those horses and buggies but today they are barely wide enough for the Navigator.

Normal garbage trucks don't fit down these narrow streets. The garbage pick up is done manually and no garbage cans are provided so most garbage is put out in boxes and bags. Why am I focusing on this? I am not sure. Just being thankful for the clean suburbs I have always been able to live in I guess.

If you lived in this apartment building it wouldn't be hard to give directions to your house.

The spired tower is One Liberty Place. The non spired tower is Two Liberty Place. They broke the "gentleman's agreement" to not build any buildings taller than the William Penn statue on top of Philadelphia City Hall. They stood as Philadelphia's tallest buildings until the 58 story Comcast Center was completed in 2008.

There is a majestic Latter Day Saint temple right in the city center that was completed in 2016.

The tall building on the left is the Comcast Center. Philadelphia's tallest.

I don't remember what church this is but I love the stunning door surround.

This is the former Philadelphia Inquirer building that I understand the police department has now moved into.

Interesting street art. There is so much to see in Philadelphia. We have just begun.

10/21/2017

West Point's history dates back to the Revolutionary War, when both sides realized the strategic importance of the commanding plateau on the west bank of the Hudson River where the Military Academy now sits.

Washington personally selected Thaddeus Kosciuszko, one of the heroes of Saratoga, to design the fortifications for West Point in 1778, and Washington transferred his headquarters to West Point in 1779.

Several soldiers and legislators, including Washington, Knox, Hamilton and John Adams, wanting to eliminate America's wartime reliance on foreign engineers and artillerists, urged the creation of an institution devoted to the arts and sciences of warfare.

President Thomas Jefferson signed legislation establishing the United States Military Academy in 1802.

The only way you can visit the Academy is on their tour. Your ID is checked, security done and you hop on a bus with a tour guide leading the way. Our first stop was the West Point Cadet Chapel.

It is Gothic Revival Architecture and was completed in 1910.

It hosts the largest chapel pipe organ in the world, which consists of 23,511 individual pipes.

Attendance is not compulsory but if you choose to participate in something such as choir you have to fit it in because you are not given extra time in your schedule.

Attention to detail is in everything. Notice the perfection of the line up of the hymnals and the Bible. Our guide told us that if the cadet assigned to take care of the books does not do it perfectly not just the one not correct has to be fixed but the entire process has to be started over. If a small order is not followed then a more important one not followed can cause the loss of a battle or life.

This is the chapel that is frequently seen where military weddings take place. Quite a long wait to get on the schedule......and you can't marry until you have graduated so you can't even get on the schedule until then. Those ceremonies end in a beautiful Saber Arch Post Ceremony after their vows.

All cadets participate in a sport. If you don't participate in one of the NCAA athletic teams then you play in intramural sports. And if you don't choose one one will be chosen for you.

To apply for admission to the Academy the requirements below must be met as well as obtaining a nomination, normally from a United States Congressman or a Senator.

U.S. citizens

unmarried with no legal obligation to support dependents

under 23 years of age prior to July 1 of the year entering USMA

a high school graduate or have a GED

of high moral character

Life at the United States Military Academy is busy! Our guide said cadets are the busiest college students in the country. Classes and study, physical education or athletics, military duties and recreation fill the hours of the day.

The academy is located approximately 50 miles north of New York City on the western bank of the Hudson River.

The views from the beautiful campus are amazing. There is so much history here.

The Hudson River forms an S curve here that played a big part in the Revolutionary War. The "S" caused sailing ships to slow to maneuver and the bluffs cut off much of the wind down on the river, causing them to slow still more. Both the Americans and British knew that passage on the Hudson River was strategically important to the war effort. Americans worked to devise plans to slow or block ship passage on the river.

These are links from the chain that the Americans constructed to place across the Hudson to obstruct any British passage. American General Benedict Arnold met with British Major John Andre to discuss handing over West Point to the British, in return for the promise of a large sum of money and a high position in the British army. The plot was foiled and Arnold, a former American hero, became synonymous with the word “traitor.” The British never attempted to run the chain even though Benedict Arnold claimed in correspondence with the British that "a well-loaded ship could break the chain.

Cadets come from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, the Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the US Virgin Islands. It was so impressive to understand what a commitment they make and how difficult the requirements are to enter the Academy. Cadets attend the United States Military Academy free of charge, with all tuition and board paid for by the Army in return for a service commitment of five years of active duty and three years of reserve status upon graduation.

This is Battle Monument honoring Union soldiers. It is a polished granite column 46 feet tall topped by a female representing "fame." Lady Fame takes a victorious pose showing that the soldiers died fighting a worthwhile cause. Inscribed on bronze straps belting the eight monumental "cannon balls" circling the column are the names of 2,230 Regular Army officers and soldiers who died for the Union during the Civil War.

If you feel your patriotism waning a visit to this campus will renew it. You will be impressed with the grounds, buildings, and history of this magnificent military university.

10/19/2017

Our tour continues on to Liberty State Park in New Jersey. This is the "Empty Sky" memorial that honors the state's victims of the 9-11 attacks. The memorial includes twin walls, transecting a "gently sloped mound anchored by a granite path that is directed toward Ground Zero. Two 30-foot-high rectangular towers stretch 208 feet, 10 inches long — the exact width of the World Trade Center towers, the proportion of the walls a symbolic representation of the buildings as if they were lying on their sides. The name of each of the 746 victims is etched in stainless steel in 4-inch-high letters. A granite passage is oriented to face the site of the twin towers. In front is some of the actual remains of the towers.

Our trip to Ellis Island and Liberty Island originates at Liberty State Park. Wonderful view across the water to Manhattan.

My excitement to see the Statue of Liberty was a bit dampened when our guide told us that in this huge terminal, where we got our ferry tickets, after 9-11 the bodies that were found were transferred here, identified, cleaned and awaited their families. More huge structures outside were used as well.

The Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal is no longer used as a railroad station but has been restored and used as the point for the Ellis Island and Liberty Island ferry. For you Monopoly fans it was once a terminal for the Reading Railroad.

Security everywhere. Poor Walt. Those fake knees always get him special treatment.

Manhattan reaches for the sky.......how high can they go?

On the ferry...... just two of four million that go each year.

A stop on Ellis Island gives history about the 12 million immigrants who passed through these now quiet halls from 1892 to 1954. Walt and I don't think our ancestors came through Ellis Island because it seems they were in the U.S. prior to 1892.

The immigrants came from all over the world and once here they came face to face with inspectors, interpreters, nurses, doctors, social workers, and many others. Of the 12 million people who passed through its doors between 1892 and 1954, only around 2 percent were deemed unfit to become citizens of the United States.

On a clear day Lady Liberty can be seen 60 miles away.

The statue’s full name is Liberty Enlightening the World.

It was a gift from France. Given to America in 1886. She is one majestic lady. The Statue is 151 feet and one inch tall from base to torch. Including the Statue's base, she is 305 feet and one inch tall.

She holds a tablet upon which is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776).

There are 25 windows in the crown.

The seven spikes on the crown represent the seven oceans and the seven continents of the world, indicating the universal concept of liberty.

The statue’s original torch was replaced in 1984 by a new copper torch covered in 24k gold leaf.

Then there is the fact that I learned on Jeopardy a few nights ago. Although you cannot see Lady Liberty’s feet clearly she is in fact standing among a broken shackle and chains, with her right foot raised, depicting her moving forward away from oppression and slavery.

What if this magnificent lady could tell us what she has seen as she has stood here for the last 131 years? She could tell of the hopes and dreams the immigrants had, she could tell of the dreadful storms, including hurricanes, that she has withstood, she could tell about watching the skyscrapers being erected always higher and higher, she could tell about that horrid September morning when those two planes hit the towers as her worst day ever, and she could tell about the resilience of the American people who rebuilt and continue to rebuild today.

Heading back to Liberty State Park my mind is whirling thinking about all I had seen and all I had felt on this amazing day.

A day of sadness yet uplifting happiness at we saw. Very glad we chose to do the tour instead of trying to do the City on our own. Our guide gave a great insight on the places we saw.

I tried to savor my last few looks at that gorgeous Manhattan skyline.

Truly a sight to behold. An unforgettable memory.

I'll end with the poem that was written by Emma Lazarus as a donation to an auction of art and literary works to raise money for the Statue of Liberty's pedestal's construction.

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,With conquering limbs astride from land to land;Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall standA mighty woman with a torch, whose flameIs the imprisoned lightning, and her nameMOTHEROF EXILES. From her beacon-handGlows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes commandThe air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

10/18/2017

Seeing One World Trade Center is both awe inspiring and full of sadness. It is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan. It is also known as the Freedom Tower.

It is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, and the sixth tallest in the world. The building, including its spire, reaches a total height of 1,776 feet. Its height in feet is a deliberate reference to the year when the United States Declaration of Independence was signed.

Our tour guide told us that on September 11, 2001 he was on a train into the city and lunch with his son was planned. His son worked on the 20th floor of the South Tower. The train was stopped and passengers were told there was an incident in the city. Thankfully his son made it out but has never been back in the city. His good friend who was on a higher floor was one of the ones that jumped and he has just not been able to return.

The cubic base has a footprint identical to the original Twin Towers. The surface of the base is clad in more than 2,000 pieces of shimmering prismatic glass. But there’s a new tallest tower coming to town: the Nordstrom Tower being built on West 57th Street, which will rise to a height of 1,795 feet and a title of the Western Hemisphere’s tallest building.

Two reflecting pools stand within the footprints where the Twin Towers once stood. The names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 attacks are inscribed into bronze panels edging the Memorial pools.

White roses are placed on the name when it is their birthday. Yellow roses are placed to denote an anniversary. Still thinking about that beautiful place brings tears to my eyes.

This callery pear tree was recovered from the rubble at the World Trade Center site in October 2001. It was badly burned and had only one living branch. In November 2001, the tree was moved by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to the Bronx for care.

The tree was not expected to survive, but it showed signs of new growth the following spring. In December 2010, the tree, then 30 feet tall, was returned to the World Trade Center site. It has become known as the "Survivor Tree". It has been described as "a reminder of the thousands of survivors who persevered after the attacks".

From the memorial we headed to see the new train station that replaced the one destroyed on 9-11.

This controversial station took 12 years to build and detractors say it is a symbol of both governmental waste and architectural excess.

It's centerpiece is the Oculus.

Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava it is a mind-boggling glass-and-steel structure.

It serves 250,000 Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) daily commuters and millions of annual visitors from around the world.

I found it to be an architectural gem of these times. I wonder what it will be thought of in 100 years.

Amazing ceiling for the most expensive train station ever. I loved it!

The tour continued. There was so much to see and hear about but true to my history I step outside the box. I spotted this Jenga game looking structure, took a photo, did some research and found out it is a 60 story building with apartments that sell for millions of dollars. It was designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron — which also built Beijing’s “Bird’s Nest” Olympic stadium.

There was time for a stop by St Paul's Chapel. It is a chapel of the Parish of Trinity Church. Built in 1766, it is the oldest surviving church building in Manhattan.

Inside, the chapel's simple elegant hall has pale colors, a flat ceiling and cut glass chandeliers. The chapel survived the Great New York City fire of 1776.

The pulpit is exquisite.

George Washington worshipped at St Paul's. He had his pew in the north aisle and an oil painting of the Great Seal of the United States hangs over his pew. The churchyard has long been a pastoral oasis in busy lower Manhattan despite it being wedged in by skyscrapers.

The Chapel was turned into a makeshift memorial shrine following the September 11 attacks. Whew! Our tour is about 2/3 done. What a whirlwind.

This Statue is called ‘9/11 Cross, A Symbol of Hope’. The statue is located near St. Paul’s Chapel of Trinity Church near the 9/11 memorial. The statue represents the original perfectly proportioned cross formed from the wreckage of the twin towers in the rubble of 9/11 that was later erected on this site. The original cross was moved to the 9/11 Museum. This cross was sculpted by Jon Krawczyk. It's inscription is below.

The cross is a symbol of hope. It speaks of life’s journeyAnd to life’s limitless potential.For the innocent, whose lives were taken from them, this cross stands as a memorial.For the courageous, who faced death so othersmight live,This cross stands as a tribute.For all of us, walking the streets today,This cross reflects who we areAnd who we may choose to become.

10/15/2017

We wanted to go to New York City but Walt didn't think he wanted to drive. I wonder why?

Black Bear Campground where we are staying is about 60 miles from Times Square and one of the amenities they offer is a bus tour into the city.

That sounded perfect to us. A nice comfortable bus and a tour guide named Kauffman. A born and bred New Yorker of German ancestry that is a fierce patriot with no patience for U.S. Citizens that know less of our history than people from Canada and Europe do. There were 16 couples.......all over 65 except for one and all from the U.S. We were instructed to "Follow the blue hat." He was a wealth of information and kept us on a closely scheduled time table.

In the 1800's and early 1900's immigrants coming into New York City usually lived in buildings like this called tenements usually with others from their same home country. This is the last of those buildings and as soon as the last residents move out or die off it will be torn down.

Our bus driver was amazing. He was an artist in getting where he wanted in a smooth and efficient way. The traffic hardly ever looked like this.

It looked like this.

First stop. Broadway & 52nd Street for a little stroll around Times Square and the Theater District.

Overwhelming to say the least. So amazed to be at a place I see often on TV and trying to imagine a million people jammed into this area to watch the ball drop on New Years Eve.

This is people watching paradise.

Aaah, the lights of Broadway.

There are more than 40 theaters in the Theater District and most of the shows are musicals.

Before the day was over there was a definite crick in my neck from looking up. Love the contrast with the historical and the modern.

This is the Hotel Paramount that was completed in 1928. So pretty but notice those window air conditioners. When so many of the buildings in the east were built there was no air conditioning so window air conditioners are put in. They have ruined many beautiful photo ops. Comfort over beauty.

There are wooden water towers all over New York. It roused my curiosity. Were they relics from the past that hadn't been removed? No, many of them are new. Most buildings in the city taller than six stories need some sort of water tower and pumping system to provide water pressure to tenants.

Still marveling at the crowds and tall buildings.

On to see Trinity Church.

This is he third and current Trinity Church. The first was destroyed in the Great New York City Fire of 1776. The second was torn down after being weakened by severe snows during the winter of 1838–39.

The third and current Trinity Church began construction in 1839 and was finished in 1846. Trinity Church was once the tallest structure in New York City. As skyscrapers became more common and ever more ambitious, however, the once-towering church now finds itself in the shadow of buildings and towers twice its size.

On September 11, 2001 people took refuge inside the church from the massive debris cloud as the first World Trade Center collapsed. Trinity Church was largely undamaged.

The cemetery outside the church is very interesting as the graves are extremely old and there are several famous people buried here (including Alexander Hamilton, Robert Fulton and Albert Gallatin). Alexander Hamilton is probably the most famous as he was George Washington’s first Secretary of the Treasury and was killed in a famous duel with ex-Vice President Aaron Burr.

The interior of Trinity Church is beautiful, with its dark wood, sparkling stained glass windows, and high, arched ceilings.

The stained glass is some of the oldest in the United States.This impressive church is regal inside and out.

The church stands at the head of Wall Street.

On April 30, 1789, George Washington, standing on the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York, took his oath of office as the first President of the United States. The building behind the Washington statue is where Federal Hall stood but is not Federal Hall. It was demolished in 1812.

Wall Street was named because an actual wall stood there. There are still spots in the street that show where the posts were.

The New York Stock Exchange Building is at 11 Wall Street. It is the world's largest stock exchange.

This Burger King at 106 Liberty Street served as the New York Police Department Headquarters for a time after 9-11.

We stopped for a slice of pizza at Steve's for lunch.

As we finished our pizza a truck from Firehouse 10 pulled out. As the firehouse located at Ground Zero they were the first to respond on 9-11 and lost 6 men.

The Memorial Wall, dedicated to the 343 members of the NYC Fire Department, as well as volunteer firefighter Glenn J. Winuk, a partner at Holland & Knight who died on that tragic day, is located at FDNY Engine 10 Ladder 10, directly across from the World Trade Center site. The Memorial Wall was donated by the law firm of Holland & Knight.

We are only about a third way through our tour and I am hit in turn by joy at the sights and the sadness of 9-11. More to come.

For those of you curious about my lack of posting recently it is due to cramming in so many places to visit and weak cell and internet services where we are staying. I am very far behind but will continue to play catch up.

10/01/2017

We left White Pines Campsites in Barkhamsted, CT on a hazy sunshiny morning. We loved Hartford but didn't feel the same about this park. The most expensive we have stayed in with the least desirable ambiance. Not friendly at check in and amenities stated on their website were non existent. Might not be fair because we have had some really great ones to compare it to.

Walt has done a wonderful job of driving in the RV challenged east. He has been able to maneuver Gypsy II through so many situations. Between his paper maps and Google Maps and Maps online we have managed to find secondary routes that avoid tolls and much of the whizzing traffic. In the eastern states the roads change names and change numbers without warning. Sometimes the route number we were trying to follow would just disappear but Maps on the phone would keep us on the route. Most roads are two lane and in the east you don't climb mountains.......you just ride a roller coaster of dips and ascents. So, many times we are the leader of a long parade of vehicles because there is no break of the yellow no passing line. When he can Walt pulls over to let them pass but sometimes there is nowhere to pull over. Usually people are nice.....every now and then you get someone who is rude but that is the exception. Gas stations are few that you can fit in with an RV and good luck if you are hungry or need to go to the bathroom.

Quite honestly the roads themselves were in better shape than we were expecting. Some places the snow plows had chewed them up a lot but you can tell great effort is made to keep them smooth. Luckily we didn't find too many RV eating potholes. We did hit hard at a low spot upon pulling out of a gas station and hearing a loud bang. (I think that was the same gas station that a woman chastised us for taking up so much room.) Kept going and when we pulled into the next RV Park our steps would not come out because they were what hit hard. Trusty Walt and his large hammer remedied that.

If anyone ever asked us to recreate our routes it would be absolutely impossible. We were at the mercy of sometimes paper maps and alternately online maps directing us here and then there. We think it has been perfect. We have seen places we never expected, sights that were sublime and much holding our breath worrying that we might be taken somewhere we can't get out of. There have been some challenges but oh so worth the effort. Patience and a sense of adventure are much needed traversing the roads of the east in an RV.

Fall is in the air in the east. It is a wonderful feeling. Even with some very warm days there is still that fall feeling.

I think there was a sigh of relief as we checked into Black Bear Campground in Florida, New York. Nice experience on check in, generous in giving information about the area and places to see. Interesting set up. You climb a steep hill to the flat crest where the spots are. You can choose back in in the shade (glad we chose that...it has been hot) or pull throughs in the open center. Facilities are nice and clean.

Many of the small towns have snow plow blades for their town signs. Signs of things to come. Hoping we are well on our way before that happens.

First plan of action is a back country drive.

A stop at a dairy garnered Walt some ice cream. I tried some.......still don't like ice cream.

The Hudson Valley is a beautiful sight. No wonder people who are employed in New York City move out here and are willing to do that long commute into work.

Oh the sights you can see out in the country.

One day we took a drive to Woodbury to the Outlets. To say that this is high high end wouldn't be exaggerating. Armani, Carolina Herrera, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Jimmy Choo, Salvatore Ferragamo and on and on for hundreds of stores. Nothing in my budget but the stores cash registers were ringing to a happy tune.

Tour buses bring in European and Asian visitors by the hundreds. They all come with empty roller suitcases that they roll along with them as they shop. They don't buy just one pair of Jimmy Choo's or one Coach bag. At least a half dozen of everything they buy. Then they come out into the walkways and unload their purchases from the bags into their suitcases. Shoes out of boxes and any packaging removed to have more room. There are suitcase kiosks where they can buy another suitcase if their shopping is not done when the first one is filled. They are definitely boosting New York's economy.

09/30/2017

There is much more to Hartford than being the Capital of Connecticut. Walt and I talked about what a good feeling we had about the city. We get this feeling now and then about an area and can't pinpoint what it is.......just an uplifting reaction.

This is the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch. It is Memorial to the American Civil War.

It honors the 4,000 Hartford citizens who served in the war, and the 400 who died for the Union.

Each tower is topped by a bronze angel, one playing a trumpet, the other cymbals. The architect was George Keller and the ashes of he and his wife are interred in the tower. The Arch is located near the Capitol on the street outside Bushnell Park.

Bushnell Park is adjacent to the Capitol and is the oldest publicly funded park in the United States.

It is a refreshing greenscape right in the middle of the city. It is the site of several festivals and music events each year and as a direct opposite of the event on the Boston Commons when we were there the event today was "Recovery Walk". It is in support of alcohol and other drug addiction recovery.

The Bushnell Park Carousel has been operating in Hartford since 1974 and was originally crafted in 1914 in Brooklyn, New York.

The horses swirl around a Wurlitzer band organ and you can rent the facility for parties. Walt loved it and I am actually surprised he didn't spring for a ride.

The building on the right is City Place I, the tallest building in Hartford. The white one is Goodwin Square that is an office tower and Hotel.

Hartford is nicknamed the "Insurance Capital of the World". The Hartford, Aetna and the Hartford Financial Services Group, both Fortune 100 companies, are headquartered in Hartford. Travelers Insurance has its largest national employment center and historical headquarters in the city. CIGNA insurance is headquartered in the region with a presence in Hartford and its suburb Bloomfield. United Health Insurance has a significant presence in the city.

While driving through downtown we were treated to this. It is the 1st Company, Governors Foot Guard. It is the oldest continuously serving military unit in the United States. It came into existence in 1771. The Governor's Guards remain active today as subordinate units of the Connecticut Military Department, under the command & control of the Connecticut Adjutant General. Their mission today remains primarily ceremonial, but they can be called up to active service to augment the Connecticut National Guard for state emergency operations.

The Old State House was completed in 1796. It was the original seat of the state legislature and used when they met in Hartford prior to the State Capitol being completed.

We went by Dunkin Dounuts Ball Park, home of the Hartford Yard Goats a AA Minor League team affiliated with the Colorado Rockies. (FYI there is a Dunkin Donuts on every corner in the east)

It was the location for the Police Department vs the Fire Department that day. Big crowd on it's way in.

Walt always manages to locate the ethnic neighborhoods in the cities we visit. There is always so much activity and the delicious aroma of the world wide food tempts us.

I think Hartford won the award for their diversity of foods.

A very diverse Church as well.

On our way to check out the industrial area we saw this old barn......the vines seem to be trying to spiff it up.

Mile after mile of Distribution Centers with many Help Wanted signs.

We very much enjoyed our time in Hartford. A beautiful city surrounded by very pretty countryside.

Hartford resident Mark Twain once said: “Of all the beautiful towns it has been my fortune to see, this is the chief … You do not know what beauty is if you have not been here.”

09/27/2017

When we started our trip to the North East one of our goals was to visit remaining states so we could say we had been in all 50 states.

We had been in many of the states prior to our full time RV'ing but we have been able to continue adding on new ones.

Since Rhode Island was not on a direct route of our travels we took a day trip from Massachusetts to Woonsocket, RI.

Woonsocket is directly south of the Massachusetts state line. The first question that entered my mind was where did the name Woonsocket come from? In researching I found that there were so many possibilities of where its name came from that I gave up and was just pleased to learn that you pronounce it Won-Sock-It.

The Village of Woonsocket was founded in the 1820's and it grew during the Industrial Revolution. There is ample nearby water and the region became a prime location for textile mills. During the Great Depression the mills closed and the village has never fully recovered. Some renovation has taken place and they are promoting it as a bedroom community for those who work in Providence, Boston and Worcester. I love how the railroad crosses above main street.

They have erected a pretty pavilion on a former mill site to greet you as you come into downtown.

Some of the renovations seemed a little quirky to us. The population of Woonsocket is around 42,000 and it is the sixth largest town in the state. Providence's population as the largest is 178,000.......keep in mind Rhode Island is our smallest state.

The Buckland and Clark Building was a woolen mill on the back and the front a block of stores. The classical details are carried out in copper on the windows of the second floor. Much of Woonsocket's populations is of French-Canadian descent. The city has referred to itself as La ville la plus française aux États-Unis—the most French city in the United States.

A true small town and Walt's favorite part of the day was our stop here for lunch. A neat as a pin small cafe and as we entered a table of locals told us that everything was good. A couple tables were full and soon after we came another couple came in and a local gentleman. The lady that owns the cafe was doing it all, taking orders, cooking, delivering food, clearing tables, taking payment.......and doing it well. She had one of the regular customers call her son and have him come in to help. By the time he came she had it all under control. Our food was good and the conversation with the Mom and son was fun. Another great day in small town America.

We spent the remainder of our time in Massachusetts hunkered down waiting for Hurricane Jose to pass with rain storms but no high winds. From there we headed to sunshiny Barkhamsted Connecticut.

Thinking that it would be cool by the time that we got to Connecticut I had requested a site out in the open so we would have the sun to keep us warm. Who would have thought that it would be in the high 80's toward the end of September? Yes, the A/C was running.

Our week-end stop in Connecticut was so we could visit the Capitol in Hartford.

This building is the third capitol building for the State of Connecticut since the American Revolution.

To say the third time is a charm would be an understatement.

Before this building Connecticut lawmakers met alternately in Hartford and New Haven in State Houses in each city. But, after the Civil War this arrangement became too complicated and each city competed but Hartford won.

It's design is listed as Eastlake style with French and Gothic Revival elements. I call is pure Fairy Palace style. It was completed in 1878 and the original cost was $2,532.524.43.

The Connecticut State Capitol is a unique building in both style and function. It is a working Capitol.

What a magnificent building.

The ornately decorated exterior is almost too much to take in.

Statues of politicians and other people important to the state's history are grouped by period around the building.

Distinctive ornate shapes even in the windows.

The top of the dome is about 257 feet above ground. On top of this portion originally there was a 17 foot statue named the Genius of Connecticut that was cast in bronze. It was taken down in 1938 due to damage from a hurricane that year. In World War II it was melted down to make ammunition and machine parts. In 2002 a bill passed to make a new casting and restore it to the dome. The original plaster statue is now at the capitol and has been coated in bronze. She has not yet been placed in her original position because of a lack of funding.

This is the best photo I could get of her.......more on that later.

These scenes in the arches are called tympana and are placed over openings such as doorways or windows. They all depict scenes from Connecticut history.

This is easily the largest and most remarkable exterior of any Capitol we have seen.

This marble palace has mesmerized me. And left me with a HUGE regret.

When travel plans were made the only time available for Hartford was a week-end.

The Capitol is not opened for visitors on the week-end.

The only interior I could see was through the windows and it looks glorious. So if any of you win the lottery and are looking for a great gift for someone a plane ticket to Hartford on a weekday would be very appreciated.

Hands down my favorite exterior and since I didn't see the interior I can't say if it can outdo the interior of the Iowa Capitol. More time in Hartford to come.

Connecticut has no county government. Below the state level, governing units are either cities or towns.

09/25/2017

Our second trip into Boston was on the train on a very foggy morning. Not far from the RV Park is a station. Pay $4 to park all day. Pay $10.50 each for a round trip and not long and you are in Boston at the North Station.

By the time we were in the city most of the fog had burned off but Hurricane Jose out there in the Atlantic kept us under cloudy skies for most of the day.

Today we opted to do the Trolley Tour so we could see an overview of greater Boston. It is a Hop on Hop off tour but we stayed on to see as much as we could.

The New England Law School was originally Portia Law School and founded in 1908 as the only law school in the country exclusively for women. In 1938 it became coeducational.

The Downtown Crossing area has shopping and history.

Beautiful old buildings house retail, hotels and restaurants.

I love cities.........the people are SO interesting. Where do you suppose she got that outfit?

Beautiful architectural masterpiece Church's dot the skyline as we go along. The Old South Church is a perfect example. That copper clad cupola is surrounded by 12 gothic arched windows.

This dome tops what is called the Mother Church Extension next to an 11-story structure originally built for the Christian Science Publishing Society.

Fenway Park was on the route. The Sox were out of town this week or I am sure we would have tried to snag a couple tickets to a game.

More incredible homes on Charles Street.

We were fascinated to hear the tour guide tell us that much of Boston lies on land that was originally underwater.

Boston was originally a small peninsula encircled by the Atlantic Ocean, Charles River, Mystic River, and Chelsea Creek.

Filling in the surrounding mud flats began in the early 1800s, and continued until the early 1900s.

The Back Bay of Boston was literally a bay.....this bay was tidal: the water rose and fell several feet over the course of each day, and at low tide much of the bay's bed was exposed as a marshy flat. In 1814 a milldam and toll road were constructed. They were an economic failure and in 1857 a massive project was begun to "make land" by filling the area enclosed by the dam.

Boston began tearing down its hills to make new land. Beacon Hill used to be 60 feet higher than it is today.

What I find most disturbing is structures built on the landfill are supported by dozens of 30- to 40-foot-long wood pilings, similar to telephone poles, that reach down through the landfill to a harder layer of clay. These pilings sit entirely below the water table, which protects them from microbes that would attack them in dry air, causing rot. In years of drought foundations beneath the centuries-old homes and new, sometimes many stories tall, buildings are at risk of rotting and crumbling.

The tour guide didn't bring it up but my mind was screaming............what about an earthquake? It could happen. Scary! A city built on unstable ground. And what a beautiful city it is.

We got off the Trolley at the Boston Harbor.

It bustles with people and activities.

First order of business for us was a late lunch at Legal Sea Foods. Lump Crab Dip with Seafood Crackers! Yum.

Then it was on to a boat cruise of the harbor. The Boston Harbor was the site of the Boston Tea Party and like other parts of the city it has been backfilled.

The Lightship Nantucket is berthed in the Boston Harbor. She was the last serving lightship. She helped ships navigate the Nantucket Shoals from 1936 to 1975.

The waterfront is lined by pricey condos to buy or rent.

We got a nice look at the USS Constitution. She is the world's oldest commissioned naval vessel afloat and is most noted for her actions during the War of 1812 against the United Kingdom, when she captured numerous merchant ships and defeated five British warships. Also, being on the water gives a different perspective of the city. The Bunker Hill Memorial is closer to the water than it appears on land.

If you want up close and personal to the harbor be prepared to pay in the millions for the privilege.

The $140 million super yacht Mayan Queen is docked in the harbor. It is owned by by Mexican billionaire Alberto Bailleres Gonzales who made his money in the mining industry.

The Custom House Block along the wharf is a former warehouse that was built in 1848. Today it has been made into office space.

The 1760s Gardiner Building, once home to John Hancock's counting house for his mercantile business is now a restaurant, and is the wharf's oldest surviving structure.

We very much enjoyed our Harbor Cruise. The weather was fine and the commentary was interesting.

Back to North Station to board the train back to the Navigator. We are so fortunate to have spent time in the amazing city of Boston.

We walked much of the Freedom Trail starting with the State House. It is located on Beacon Hill and was completed in January 1798 at a cost of $133,333.

The dome has an interesting history. The original wood dome leaked and in 1802 was covered with copper by Paul Revere's Revere Copper Company. Then the dome was painted gray, then light yellow and then gilded with gold leaf. During World War II it was painted black to prevent reflection during blackouts and to protect the city and building from bombing attacks. In 1997, at a cost of more than $300,000, the dome was re-gilded, in 23k gold.

There are 16 official sights on the Freedom Trail. I am not going to give a history lesson and notate something on each location. To give even a cursory blurb about them would not give them justice. So for this I am going to note some things that were new to me, unusual or brought back memories.

There is a wonderful statue of Benjamin Franklin in the courtyard of the Old City Hall. He has always been one of my favorite historic characters. I have read several books about him and he led such a colorful life full of scientific and political achievements that is hard to believe one man could do in one lifetime.

Boston is amazing. There is history around every corner mixed with the new. Like a Walgreen's across the street from The Old South Meeting Hall. The Old South Meeting Hall is a Congregational Church built in 1729 and most remembered for being the location where the Boston Tea Party was organized in 1773.The Old State House is the oldest surviving public building in Boston. It was built in 1713 and on July 18, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed from the east side balcony to jubilant crowds by Col. Thomas Crafts.

A stop for lunch at the Union Oyster House. It claims to be America's oldest restaurant. Daniel Webster was a regular customer. We had typical Boston fare. Fried clam roll, clam chowder, corn bread, and Boston baked beans. Verrrrry good!

We strolled through the Saturday Farmer Market and wished we hadn't been just barely in the middle of our walk so we could buy some of that great produce at their thrifty prices. Too far to go to be carrying packages.

We all know about Paul Revere's midnight ride but I did not know that he had 16 children. Eight with his first wife, after she died he remarried and had eight more children. Unfortunately five of them died very young.

The Old North Church is the location from which the famous "One if by land, two if by sea" signal was sent. I did not know that over 1100 bodies are buried in the crypt beneath the church. You can actually take a tour to see it.

It takes a lot of places to bury people when a city is this old.

Crossing the bridge along the Freedom Trail you get a beautiful view of the Charles River.At the end of the trail is the Bunker Hill Monument. It was erected to commemorate the Battle of Bunker Hill, which was among the first major battles between British and Patriot forces in the American Revolutionary War. It is 221 feet tall and the monument is not on Bunker Hill, but instead on Breed's Hill, where most of the fighting in the misnamed Battle of Bunker Hill actually took place.

At the end of our miles of walking one of my hips decided that it no longer wanted to bend so the last little while poor Walt had to put up with my slow progress.

As we paused to look at the back side of the State House and the General Hooker statue a local Italian gentleman stopped to talk with us and gave us some scandalous information about the General and told us about the private library across the street, Boston Athenæum, that houses a huge rare book collection as well as a book made of human skin. While we see the most amazing sights on this journey we are on it is the moments like this with interactions with people that will stand out in my memory. And the rest renewed my walking ability.

We returned to Boston Commons where our car was parked. OK.......we did not linger. We were afraid that if we stayed too long we would have our first experience of getting high.

That is not fog or dust in the air. Massachusetts has legalized recreational marijuana use and they were having a Cannabis Rally on the Common.

A first for us for sure.

Back in the car for the return trip to GypsyII. Love the contrast of the historic buildings and the contemporary architecture. Best of both worlds. Boston is an astonishing city. The day refreshed my memory of U.S. History and gave me so much more new information. A definitely educational day.

09/19/2017

Leaving the Bar Harbor area we again got to cross the beautiful Penobscot Narrows Bridge.

Roadside views of stunning granite cliffs that I could imagine sliced off, polished up and starting it's new life as someone's kitchen island.

Only about an 80 mile trip on those small state route roads that we love.

Another wooded site at Sennebec Lake RV. Down in a hollow near the lake.

Lovely place..............only a few drawbacks. No cell service, no TV, no internet, and only fuzzy radio.

After long days of exploring there were long nights for Walt. Only snippets of updates on how the Diamondbacks games are going. No problem for me.....always books to read.

So pretty.......evidence of fall in the air.

We spent the week exploring the small coastal towns. Our first visit was to Camden.

The town’s special location between beautiful hills and the clear blue waters of Penobscot Bay makes for memorable sights.

The harbor looks like it could be right out of a movie.

Camden Harbor is home to a windjammer fleet.

The pretty Camden Library sits atop a hill surrounded by trees.

The Megunticook River flows through Camden and dumps into Penobscot Bay.

There were fun shops to wander through all the while having views of the harbor.

So many tranquil shoreline sights.

The next day took us to Bath, ME.

Bath was incorporated as a town on February 17, 1781. The Bath City Hall has a bell in it's bell tower that was cast by Paul Revere.

There are amazing examples of 19th-century architecture.

Bath launched it's first ship over 400 years ago and is still home to the Bath Iron Works shipbuilders.

Bath Iron Works has built private, commercial and military vessels, most of which have been ordered by the Unites States Navy. The shipyard has built and designed battleships, frigates, cruisers and destroyers.

On our return trip from Bath we drove by Red's Eats. The line wrapped way around the corner for a two hour wait for their famous lobster rolls. We had already eaten so no standing in line for us. We did hear that they are worth the wait.

Another day took us to Rockland Harbor on western Penobscot Bay.

There were many lobster boats out.

Owl's Head Light is at the entrance to the Rockand Harbor.

The light station was established in 1825 and stands only 30 feet tall. It stands on the top of a cliff so it is 100 feet above the water. It is still an active light.

Panoramic views to the islands offshore.

We continued on down to Port Clyde.

Port Clyde has one of the prettiest little Inn's I have ever seen. An ocean view out of each of those windows.

Port Clyde is the southernmost settlement on the St. George peninsula in central/coastal Maine and part of the town of St. George in Knox County, Maine.

There have been two things we have missed seeing in Maine. A real live moose and a real live puffin. I am told it is the wrong time of the year and for puffins you usually need to do a tour to the offshore islands.

The beauty here does not lie just in the ocean.

Near our RV Park is Deer Foot Farm. As a matter of fact the RV Park used to be part of the farm but was sold off.

It is now in the 5th generation of the family. They sell hay and flowers and have events on their property.

And they have a delightful little cafe. The food was delicious.....Walt had the Smoked Salmon Bagel......it is Duck Trap Salmon (a local area near there) on a toasted everything bagel with lemon pepper cheese, cucumber, field greens, pickled red onions, sprouts and capers. (Yes Kevin we know you hate capers) Walt said it was really good.

There has been no shortage of amazing food.

I am going to miss lob stuh.

Lob stuh roll, lob stuh stew. Oh how I will miss thee.

We won't miss when this happens.

A nice low-key week amid small town Maine. Pure, Down East, and unspoiled. You can't go wrong visiting the coast of Maine.

09/18/2017

Egg Rock Lighthouse is out in Frenchman's Bay. Looks like a little Lego Building. Our explorations in this beautiful place continued.

But this time we had friends Joyce and Paul along. So fun to have them make the trip from visiting other friends in New Hampshire up to Bar Harbor for a few days with us.

There was more sightseeing to do. Acadia has the prettiest bridges.

Joyce and I wandered around the Wild Gardens of Acadia. I swear that this Pitcher Plant was not blooming when I was there just a few days before.

A stop at Sand Beach gave us a view of today's color scheme for the Atlantic.

There can't be anything more dazzling than this shade of blue.

We had a nice time touring around Acadia with Joyce and Paul.

There were plenty of Canasta games. Yes, the girls actually won a couple. Yay!

A little shopping was done. Both in downtown Bar Harbor and at LL Bean. You can't come to Maine without going to LL Bean.

I have always wanted a pair of LL Bean Duck Boots. No longer having a yard to muck about in there is no need and even at the Outlet they are still pretty pricey.

There was a lot of good food eaten. Lobster and a lot of his oceany relatives. It was so fun to have them with us for a few days before they finish up their east coast trip and head back to Albuquerque. Can't wait to meet up again in New Mexico for more Canasta and food!

It was a dark, foggy, cloudy day when Walt and I continued our explorations on our own.

It did get lighter but no sunshine came out. The scenery was still beautiful.

We took the road less traveled.

Our trip this day was to Acadia Schoodic Peninsula. While most of Acadia is on Mount Desert Island this part of the National Park is on the mainland.

It has very similar geological features as Mount Desert Island but is more secluded and has less commercial development.

The Schoodic Peninsula section of Acadia National Park covers approximately 2,366 acres.

The Schoodic shoreline consists of exposed and weathered granite that varies from 10 to 100 feet in width from ocean to the beginning of a forest that is largely pine-birch but also consists of white, red and black spruce, northern white cedar, cherry, alder, mountain ash, and a variety of maples. I have never been anywhere that has such a large variety of trees as this area.

It was exciting to hear the waves crash on this slightly stormy day. It was at this stop that we met a lady from Tucson. We seem to frequently find people from Arizona out traveling. Escaping the Arizona heat.

This is a gorgeous and unspoiled section of Acadia National Park that is very uncrowded. It is less than an hour away from Mount Desert Island but it feels very remote.

A wonderful day spent exploring this rugged part of Acadia National Park.

One last day spent in Bar Harbor. We tried to figure who owned the yachts. Some are privately owned and others you can charter.

When the Margaret Todd has her sails up she is magnificent.

Bar Harbor definitely has ambience.

A first sighting of east coast colors. How fortunate we are!

Lobster (Lob-stuh)........Love at first and last bite.

I can see why Bar Harbor Ba Ha Ba is called the BEST touristy town. If you are thinking of visiting.....Get set, Get ready, Go!

09/09/2017

Though the Rockefellers, Morgans, Fords, Vanderbilts, Carnegies, and Astors in the 1880's and 90's came to the island in search of social and recreational activities, the affluent of the turn of the century had much to do with preserving the area.

The preservation to save the land for perpetual public use began in 1901 and finally in 1929 Acadia National Park became a reality.

Today the park protects more than 47,000 acres and the ocean, forests, lakes, and mountains are there for all to enjoy.

Over 3 million visitors come to Acadia every year now.

My love of flowers and plants made this part of the park a favorite for me.

I love meeting new plants. This lovely one is Ground Nut or Apios Americana. They have only made it as far west as Colorado.

The Gardens are maintained by a volunteer group that care for the over 300 native species growing there.

The plants are labeled for identification as you wander among the paths.

Even the fungi are marked.

All of the beautiful ferns reminded me of a HUGE Boston fern we had when we lived in Idaho Falls in the early 80's. It was at least 8 feet tall and 6 feet across. The kids used to use it as a hiding place when they were playing hide and seek. The secret to it's success............potato fertilizer. It was Idaho after all.

A fantastic way to see all the different plants and flowers of the Acadia National Park.

Today the park was not as crowded as before on the roads but we'll see when we get to the next stop.

This day the blue skies made the water the most intense shades of blue.

At Wildwood Stables you can schedule horse drawn Carriage Tours. Tours follow the famous and scenic carriage roads that were originally constructed by John D. Rockefeller between 1913 and 1940. You can also bring your own horses to ride and stable them here while you are in the park.

The water at Sand Beach was a chilly 57 degrees but there were actually people swimming.

The main activity on the beach seemed to be picture taking.

The beautiful coastline with its jagged pink granite formations stand up to the never-ending assault of the ocean's waves. Today those waves were pretty calm.

This inlet that has been carved by the power of the ocean is called Thunder Hole.

When the right size wave rolls into the inlet, a deep thunderous sound emanates. The cause is a small cavern formed down low, just beneath the surface of the water. While we were there the ocean was pretty calm so we just got a splash.

Wow, the lengths some people will go for a photo.

Lovely lake views.

I think that is my Lob stah dinner coming in to port. It was interesting to find out that in colonial times lobsters were so numerous that they were considered poor man's food. Lobsters can grow up to four feet long and weigh as much as 40 pounds. It is believed that lobsters can live as long as 100 years. Maine is the world leader for the lobster industry.

The beauty and wonder of Acadia National Park is unending. Next up a visit with friends.

09/05/2017

Putting Augusta behind us our route gave us a surprise. It is the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory rising up out of the trees.

Wasn't on our radar to stop and go up the observatory so no plans made and too late with GypsyII behind to stop and go up to see the view. It is the tallest public bridge observatory in the world. I was glad that our route took us across it. Fun that the cable is in the middle.

Clear evidence that we are in Maine.

The roadside views were gorgeous.

We made it! Bar Harbor at it's finest.

Our first day was spent in town by the harbor taking in the amazing sights. We rode the free Shuttle Bus from the Park into town. Very convenient.

Yachts arouse my curiosity. Who do they belong to?

Beautiful churches.

Flowers in abundance. After a nice late lunch we hopped back on the Shuttle and rode it on the Loop Road around Acadia so we could scope out future visits. Still getting used to the Maine alphabet.....no R's when they talk.

The next day we started exploring Mount Desert Island.

First stop.

These autos are OLD!

There are electric, steam-powered and gasoline autos in the collection. Richard Paine established the museum to house his extensive collection and the museum shows not only his love for cars but his love for Maine.

They range from 1899 models to some 1930's beauties.

This is a 1930 Packard that brought back memories of my Dad's Packard when I was a little girl. Not sure if it is because I was small but I thought that car was HUGE. I can remember sleeping on the back window ledge on long road trips.

This was my favorite. A 1913 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance from Peugeot of France. Crafted in layers of mahogany.

Look at that grill and that spiffy two tone paint job. Glad the lady at the RV Park told us about this place that seems almost hidden on the far western side of Mount Desert Island.

Isn't this perfect New England?

Acadia National Park is absolutely stunning. One thing we found very interesting is that as you drive around Mount Desert Island sometimes you are in the park and sometimes you are not. There is one entrance gate but prior to it you can find yourself in the park as well. And the same for the other end. You just need to always have your Park Pass (for us that wonderful bargain Senior Pass that gets us in free) showing in your vehicle.

We visited Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. The lighthouse was built of brick in 1858 on a stone foundation and it clings to the cliff 56 feet above the high water line on the shore.

To get a water side view they have built a stairway down the rocks.

So beautiful. I love the ocean.......both shores.

Rocky shore, blue water, green trees........perfect.

Not easy to get views of this cliff hanging lighthouse but oh so pretty.

Sailing is one of the most popular adventures in the area.

You can escape the crowds of Bar Harbor and view Acadia National Park from the ocean as you sail along.

We took the Summit Road to the top of Cadillac Mountain. Contrary to Walt's belief that it was named after the vehicle it was actually named after the French explorer and adventurer, Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, Sieur de Cadillac in 1918.

It is 3 and 1/2 miles of constant beauty.

Once at the top there is a lot of bare granite in between the forests of spruce and pitch pine combined with tiny subalpine plants (like cinquefoil), squat, gnarled trees, wild blueberries, and various sized boulders. The altitude at the top is only 1530 feet but it feels like the 8000 foot mountains in the west. Must be the combination of being further north and the ocean.

Magnificent views.

That's Bar Harbor way down there!

The shades of blue were intense. Cadillac Mountain is a must see spot in Acadia National Park.

Standing up here I wanted to burst forth singing "America The Beautiful" feeling so fortunate that I have gotten to see her from sea to shining sea. Lucky for any others on the mountain that I refrained from any singing.

On the way down there are several pullouts for different views. This is Eagle Lake, a fresh water lake that is the largest on the island.

At one of the pullouts this gull had staked claim to a rock near the curb and made his mission clear. "Give me food, give me food."

08/24/2017

Lots of ups and downs as we weaved our way on the small state routes. We were happy that the Navigator had more than one gear.

Our time in New Hampshire consisted of driving across the state with a quick stop for lunch. Like Vermont there were a lot of small towns and it was heavily forested.

Mid afternoon and we were parked in Augusta West Kampground near Augusta, Maine.

Most of the RV's parked lakeside have boats, kayaks or canoes.

A walk around the park showed the creativity of some of the long termers.

What a nice way for our first day in Maine to end.

The next day we spent in Augusta.

Augusta is the captial of Maine. Although they do not call the building the capitol. They call it the State House. Maine's first capital was the city of Portland but it was considered too far south so in 1827 Augusta was proclaimed the new capital.

The State House building was completed in 1831. Additions were completed in 1890 and 1910. The figure on top of the dome is said to be the figure of wisdom however according to a 1927 article on the subject, “This classic figure of a woman with right arm rigidly upraised, close to the head, with torch in hand, is not a copy of some other figure, but is Mr. Noble’s (the designer) conception of Augusta (the city), holding a pine torch, which represents the State.”

The State Seal has a pine tree with a moose lying at the foot of it on the bank of a lake or the sea; on the left side of the shield is a farmer resting on a scythe; on the right side, a seaman, resting on an anchor covering all the important things in Maine. The motto is Dirigo that means "I direct or I lead."

Maine is the first state to see the sun every day.

The interior is not glamourous. It is crisp and clean and makes you feel that it is there for work to be done.

We got the impression that the State House says that Maine is a hard-working down to earth state.

They have lovely portraits of many historical figures like this one of George Washington that was painted in 1836.

The rotunda has beauty in its simplicity.

The House of Representatives Chamber is on the 3rd floor. Again, beautiful in it's simplicity. The Senate is in the other wing and a gentleman there gave us a tour of the portraits of historical figures including a portrait of Abraham Lincoln that is one of three that artist Albion Harris did of the the president standing.

A little Maine trivia.....Maine is the only state that borders only one other state, Maine only has one area code, there are no venomous spiders in Maine, Maine has the 3rd worst cell coverage in the U.S., and LOBSTAH...Maine is the largest lobster producer. We enjoyed our Maine State House visit.

Walt asked the security guards at the State House where the best place for lunch was and they recommended The Red Barn.

We were greeted at the door by Laura Benedict who is the owner now, it has been in her family since 1977. When she heard that we were full time RV'ing she confided that she told her financial planner that she didn't want to die rich so last week she had gone online and ordered a 30 foot travel trailer that she, her family and her employees can use. The restaurant is open year round but she figures that in November when business slows down she can head south for some warmth.

After sharing Seafood Stew, a Lobster Roll and haddock, shrimp, clams & scallops we know why The Red Barn is Augusta's favorite place to eat. Walt has always questioned why I like lobster so much but after a few samples of the east coast lobster he is coming around to my way of thinking.

After lunch we did some exploring of Augusta. It is full of historic buildings. This is the old City Hall.

This is old Fort Western. Built in 1754 as a British Colonial Outpost and claims some infamous characters as guests such as Benedict Arnold and Aaron Burr.

The Kennebec River runs through town and the riverside is lovely.

This elegant building along the river is the old Federal Building.

I took a walk through Viles Arboretum.

Walt didn't go. He stayed in the car with his maps plotting out our next route.

So much goldenrod in the east. The old wives tale says that if it suddenly appeared growing outside your front door, good luck would soon be coming your way. Darn, never did find it growing outside my front door.

The arboretum covers 224 acres and has 6 miles of paths. In 1982 a private non-profit corporation was formed to manage the facility.

My favorite was the Hosta garden. I had them on my shady narrow side yard in my house in Wheatland, CA and they flourished as long as they got plenty of water.

Though mainly know for their leaves solid in color or variegated in different combinations of blue, green, white, chartreuse, gold, and yellow they do have small blooms.

The day was quite warm and somewhat humid so the walk in the shade was a treat.

The entire time I was there I only saw one other person. A volunteer doing some mowing.

I loved this natural branch arch along the trail. Augusta is lucky to have this pretty area right in town.

The trails can be used in the winter too.

Walt and I have always loved blue spruce trees. They had a huge specimen with that gorgeous blue color.

A last view of the State House through the trees and our visit in Augusta was complete. We are moving on to Bar Harbor and have been warned that internet and cell service is spotty so not sure when another post will be out.

This might be Walt's mantra....Money can't buy happiness but it can buy cows and cows make milk and milk makes ice cream and ice cream makes you happy.

Steep roofs so the snow can slide off.

Oh yes, I love the Vermont back roads. Doesn't get much better than this.

Hard to believe with this small hand made sign that it is pointing to you to one of the big Vermont attractions.

The sign improved the closer we got.

Pretty snazzy when you arrive.

This family owned farm has been churning out corn mazes for 19 years.

The maze is open August, September and October and attracts over 8,000 people a year to the farm and that includes people from all over the world. We added 2 from Arizona following 2 from Texas the lady taking tickets told us.

The maze covers 24 acres and there are more than 3 miles of paths. The maze is in the shape of bears this year but you need an aerial view to see it. They have photos of it in the snack bar.

There are two ways to do the maze. The Big Maze or The Scenic Maze.

The Big Maze gives no clues, you walk for 2 plus hours with no opportunity to sit down and some people either due to frustration or time constraints have to be helped out. This warning on their signs and website made me laugh....... "Unfortunately, 90% of teenagers 13 - 20 give up in less than 20 minutesand have little interest in really solving the maze. All teens must have adult supervision at all times."

Hmmmm.....Short attention span? No cell service?

We chose to do the Scenic Maze. It takes about 40 minutes of walking and if you follow the directions you zip right through.

The corn is about 10 feet tall and is so thick that even though you hear others you can't see them unless you actually meet on the path.

You do get to get a view over the top.

A boat and a sea of corn.

That is a lot of corn.

Beware of the wildlife.

Corn feet......not corns on feet.

More wildlife.

Walt rang the Little Bell of Success. The Big Maze gets the Big Bell of Success.

I stood under the I Did It sign.

Then we found a bench to enjoy the view.

Trees trees and not a one alike.

We were bid farewell by Billy goat Gruff.

We took the long way back.

An altogether older-fashioned and more primitive New England is better than I ever dreamed.

Where else can you find scenes like this?

Unlike Oregon Vermont did not seem to have much excitement about the eclipse. There was no preparation for the eclipse from us.

No glasses, no pin hole in a cereal box.

Just a few over the shoulder photos. I have to admit I was a little disappointed because my expectation was that it would get a little darker and cast some shadows on the ground but it didn't seem to. I hope that everyone that was actually in the path got spectacular views.

08/19/2017

Leaving Saratoga we continued our north and east journey on the back roads into Vermont.

As we have traveled to states that are new to us I have had preconceived notions of what that state would be like.

Like my idea that Iowa was flat as a pancake with corn fields as far as you could see. Yes, there are corn fields but they are on hills, in valleys, and among the trees.

Or my idea that New York would be sophisticated and urbane. Nope, upper New York is pretty rustic in most places.

But my idea of Vermont was spot on.

Old barns.

Forested mountains.

Small lakes ringed by vacation cabins.

Winding roads lined by wildflowers.

Ponds layered with water lilies.

Covered bridges.

Small farms.

It is amazingly like I thought it would be but better. And the area we are staying in is called the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. It does feel regal.

The Capital of Vermont is in Montpelier.

The population of Montpelier is less than 8,000 making it the least populous state capital in the U.S.

The dome is topped by a statue named "Agriculture" that is based on an ancient Roman goddess of agriculture.

Unknown to us the day we chose to visit the Capitol was closed due to it being the Vermont holiday honoring Bennington Battle Day. It was an American victory over British forces in the American Revolution War. So no inside photos.

We still had a good time exploring outside.

The grounds were very colorful and well groomed.

Montpelier downtown is full of old but well cared for buildings. Narrow streets and none on a grid. So interesting here.....everything has a history. Almost all buildings are old......not just a few years old but some are 100 to 200 and here and there 300. Interesting little fact.....Vermont does not have any buildings taller than 124 feet.

The Martin bridge was built about 1890 by Herman F. Townsend, a prominent local bridgewright. It is one of the few surviving 19th century bridges in the state that was originally built on a private road, and is the nearby town of Marshfield's only surviving historic covered bridge.

Even the deserted spots have subtle beauty.

Vermont is the biggest producer of Maple Syrup.

We visited the Goodrich Maple Farm and learned a bit about the process of making Maple Syrup. The farm has been in the Goodrich family since the 1830's.

Contrary to my thought that they just tap into the maple tree, hang a bucket below to catch the sap and bingo it is maple syrup I learned it is a labor intensive process taking place in a very short period of time. Days with temperatures just above the freezing mark and frosty cold nights make the sap run. They currently tap 44,000 maple trees in the area surrounding the sugarhouse. On average, it takes over 40 gallons of maple sap to make one gallon of maple syrup because so much is water. After collecting the sap it is put through a reverse osmosis process to remove some of the water. Then it is put through an evaporator where it boils until the sap thickens and the sugar caramelizes. Finally it is filtered, adjusted for density and graded for flavor and color. All of this processing takes place within a few weeks of very long days for the farmers. Walt and I agreed we liked grade 3 the best and came home with a big jug of syrup and a container of maple cream.

When I planned this stop on our journey the only notes I made was "Capitol & maple syrup" now every day I find more things I want to see, places I want to go and people I want to know. We stopped into a small craft shop at Jones Pond and I was fascinated by the talent displayed there. I talked with the owner and she does the weaving and some of the quilting but said that she has over 20 other artists that display in her shop from people right in the area. Keep in mind this is the 2nd least populous state in the U.S. Art must be in the genes in Vermont.

I have found my perfect teeny tiny house.

Swoon! Until the snow flies. This area gets about 6 feet a year.

One morning after a day and night of rainfall I told Walt I had a place I wanted to see. The air was wet....the clouds hung low.

Another back road with small towns and pristine houses and yards.

I always try to avoid power lines in my photos. Here that is impossible. The power lines are old and very low. Matter of fact there are places that signs are put up saying "Watch for low power lines."

Even the trees were moody heavy with dew.

What we found around every corner was prettier than the last.

There are flower gardens everywhere.

We have arrived.

It has been said that the village of Peacham is the most photographed town in New England.

The population is around 700.

It truly is a picture postcard place.

Unbeknownst to us the Peacham Acoustic Music Festival was in progress. It has been an annual event for the past 7 years.

Lots of music being made.

Interesting food. We had a 1/2 crab and 1/2 lobster roll to share. Yum!

Vermont crafts.

This is the Ashbel Goodenough Blacksmith Shop - a 19th-century blacksmith shop which has been restored by the Peacham Historical Association.

It has a working wooden forge.

Peacham Congregational Church is the Olde Meeting House in the Village. It is one of the oldest and most photographed churches in Vermont.